featured blog posts

When the major hair care brands (L'Oréal for example) start hiring supermodels to promote sulphate free shampoo, it must make you wonder. Is sulphate free shampoo just a clever move to tap into the latest consumer trend, or is there really cause for concern about sulphates?

Yes technically all synthetic chemicals must be rigorously tested and passed safe for use - but no-one can do the equation as to what happens when those chemicals interact with each other - when left in sunlight for example, and with other chemicals used in other personal care products or in cleaning, air freshening...the list goes on.

The issue is not fat shaming. Protein World is right that people should aspire to be healthier and we do have a huge issue with obesity. The issue here is the view from the company that you have to look like this stunning (and she is stunning, in my view) model to go to the beach.

My appearance is one of my hobbies. I enjoy researching skin creams and hair masks, I look forward to nose pore strips, the make-up section of Superdrug calms me down on stressful days like I'm an unglamorous Holly Golightly and it is my Tiffany's. I'm vain, and someone reading this just drew a lot of conclusions about the rest of my personality from that one fact.

As I stopped stripping away all of my natural oils, my hair became silkier and healthier. Even my hairdresser commented on what great condition my locks were in... It's now been six years of water-washing, and no one has ever suspected that I don't use shampoo.

I urge you to check your labels for mineral oil - which may be called liquid paraffin, pariffinum liquidum or liquid petroleum. Whether it's on the label of your sun protection or any other of your personal care products, it is preventing toxins from escaping and nutrients being absorbed through your skin.

Dropping the word plus won't make a runway dress fit. The change for more plus models in mainstream campaigns and publications can only happen when the way sampling is done changes, actions and sample sizes here in this case will really speak louder than words.

Now I'm all for the modelling industry to be inclusive of all body shapes and sizes and I think plus size modelling has a valid and important role in the industry, but I also think that the average consumer these days is wise enough to know that skinny doesn't equal beautiful any more.

Why, then, is it so impossible for an ugly female protagonist to exist in our culture? Why must 14-year-old Hermione Granger have a Cinderella moment at the Yule Ball, when she has so many other qualities to recommend her?

Spring is finally here! Well, it technically started in March, but the weather still seemed like winter back then. However, it doesn't mean that the havoc that winter brought upon our skin is over. To get that healthy glow on our skin back, we ought to re-evaluate our skin care routines and lifestyle choices to fit the season.

The slow shift in perceptions by brands like Dove all help. But it's not enough. We need radical measures to force the industry to change their norms, so they represent normal healthy women in their campaigns and so they are providing positive role models to fragile teens.

I used to have straight hair when I was little. Then one day (I'm not sure when) it just exploded into a mass of curl and frizz. Now I'm one of those poor souls who have to put up with the daily (read: hourly) battle of having curly hair.

Afro hair has many guises - locks, puffs, dreads, braids, bantu knots - all of which are expressions of our multi-faceted culture. Despite these styles being historically documented, Afro hair is still waiting to be asked to sit at the proverbial 'head table' with the brunette, blonde and red-haired population.

We all want to look good throughout the year and summer represents a fresh new beginning, where we start to take off our winter layers. Summer's lighter layers and looks however remind us that the stodgy food of the festive cold season has left us with unwanted weight gain and dull looking skin, hair and eyes.

A Medicinal Foods Specialist and Indian Cookery Expert, Shahena is an ex-medic turned cook who is featured on Television and Radio. As the founder of a beauty brand, Shahena is also a beauty insider who is a Food and Beauty Writer for magazines and newspapers nationwide and internationally. Find her blog and recipes on her website www.shahena.tv

Laser treatment of veins works brilliantly, with the only slight problem being that the patient has to have some injections of anaesthetic in the leg - this is because the minimally invasive methods such as lasering, all use heat to close the vein.